Zambia protest against deplorable state of Uganda`s Namboole stadium

 Boniface Mwamelo

By Fred Maingi

Zambia Football Association (ZFA) has threatened to report Uganda to the World Governing Soccer body (Fifa) if they will not have “shaped up” Namboole Stadium in Kampala to the required International standards.

     ZFA Vice President Boniface Mwamelo   said they were not impressed by the state of the venue which is deplorable.

  He said the venue that will host this weekends  2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier pitting hosts Uganda Cranes against Zambia’s Chipolopolo is below the required International Standard.
    Mwamelo, who was part of the six-man Zambia advance party that visited Uganda-after touring the Stadium located on the outskirts of the capital Kampala- said a lot more improvement must be done before  the match day.

   He said since they visited the venue three weeks ago, there were some slight changes which were not enough

  He said his side is used to playing in better playing surfaces and prayed that Uganda Football administrators will do something on the pitch before the match.
    Reports intimidated that  the Zambia general secretary George Kasengele wrote to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) three weeks ago complaining about the state of Uganda’s 42,500 Capacity Stadium.

   The Zambians have asked CAF for urgent intervention into this matter and requested that the Uganda FA urgently consider rehabilitating the playing area. 

   The African champions Zambia beat Uganda 1-0 in the first leg two weeks ago in Ndola and the Cranes now need to win by over two goals to qualify for the Nations Cup since their last appearance in 1978.